Queen Mary University of London Archives

Robert Ernest Howe registered at East London College in 1915, and left in 1916 in the second week of studies to join Artists Rifles(?). He never returned to complete his studies. A note on the card 'killed in war', confirms the reason. He would have been approximately 17.

This image shows a Christmas card sent by George Webb of the 16th (Irish) Division who was serving in France on Christmas Day 1916. The sketch on the printed card shows two soldiers carrying the food for Christmas dinner.

German postcard from Fritz Lindshoeft to his daughter, Christmas 1917. Fritz Lindshoeft was an Eastern front Reservist. The sketch depicts Fritz'۪s Christmas dream, to be visited by his daughter. The text below the sketch simply reads: 'Dear Katchen (Katie), Your father sends you lots of love from the field, and to Mummy and your brother and sister'.

After the war Webster was involved with diplomatic affairs. He served in the British Delegation to the Peace Conference of Paris, 1918-1919, and during and after the Second World War in the Foreign Office, 1943-1946 and the United Nations, 1945-1946. He was knighted for his non-military service in a foreign country. Webster was also a distinguished historian and academic.

Two National Ration Books issued to Katherine Lyttelton. They list the names and addresses of a Sugar Retailer, Fats Retailer, Butcher and Bacon Retailer the family had registered with. Rationing was introduced into Britain toward the end of the First World War during 1918. Food imports into Britain had been affected following an effective German U-boat campaign in which merchant ships were frequently sunk.

Westfield College Magazine advertisement for vacation and land work, May 1917.

As woman's college Westfield was able to continue during the war relatively unchanged. However it has been suggested that there were tensions between those staff and students with pacifist tendencies, on religious grounds, which included the Principal Miss Agnes de Selincourt and the others.

The photograph depicts a family of four Belgian refugees who were harboured by the Lyttelton family. In 1914 Belgium asserted its neutrality under international treaty and Britain promised to defend this. However, after refusing to give permission to Germany to cross Belgian territory in order to reach France, Germany declared war on Belgium and invaded the country. Over 1 million refugees fled the country over the coming weeks, mostly to the Netherlands but also to France and Britain.

National Committee for Relief in Belgium collection leaflet, 24th October 1918.

The leaflet calls for the donation of warm clothing and boots for the 'hundreds of thousands of men, woman and children in France and Flanders' who were in need of them urgently. The collection was approved of by Kind George V and the Queen who donated £100 and £50 respectively for the purchase of clothing.